EFL Cup semi-final draw: Arsenal avoid London rivals Chelsea and Spurs

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Arsenal must beat Liverpool to reach the 2021/22 EFL Cup final.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur will face Chelsea in the other semi-final.

It is not yet 100% clear when and how these ties will take place.

The EFL Cup semi-finals were originally scheduled for the weeks commencing January 3 and January 10. And there was no mention of new dates during the draw ceremony, which shown live on Sky Sports with Jamie Redknapp and Michael Dawson pulling out the balls.

However, it was reported by the Daily Mail last week that plans to switch the semis from two-legged contests to one-off games were being considered.

Arsenal had been the first team to book their place in the last four. The Gunners thrashed Sunderland of League One 5-1 on Tuesday night.

None of Wednesday’s games were nearly as one-sided. A youthful Chelsea side were the most convincing winners as they came away from Brentford with a 2-0 victory.

Meanwhile, there was a glut of goals at Anfield, including an absolute stunner from James Maddison as Liverpool and Leciester played out a 3-3 draw. Jamie Vardy scored a brace inside the first 13 minutes, before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Diogo Jota netted either side of Maddison’s wonderstrike. It looked like Leicester were heading through in normal time until Takumi Minamino struck at the death to force a penalty shootout, which Liverpool won 5-4.

And Spurs had their captain to thank for a 2-1 win over London rivals West Ham. Hugo Lloris made multiple fine saves as Tottenham battled to a 2-1 triumph after goals from Steven Bergwijn, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Moura.